Billie Jean Moffit was born on November 22, 1943, in Long Beach, California.
When she was a kid she was a great softball player. Her parents introduced her
to tennis, the game that she would grow to love. In 1965

Billie Jean Moffit married Larry King. Larry King was in law school when she
married him.

In 1967 she was chosen as "Outstanding Female Athlete of the
World." In 1972 she was the first woman to be Sports Illustrated
"Sportsperson of the Year."

On September 20, 1973, Bobby Riggs challenged Billie Jean King to a tennis
match and won! Billie Jean King was 29 years old and Bobby Riggs was 55. It was
a $100,000, winner-take-all contest.

Billie Jean King won six Wimbledon singles tennis titles, ten Wimbledon
doubles tennis titles, and four Wimbledon mixed doubles tennis titles. She also
won four US Open tennis titles and five US Open doubles tennis titles.

Billie Jean King was the first female athlete to win $100,000 in one season.
Billie Jean King spoke for women rights and their right to earn the same amount
of money as men in tennis and other sports. Billie thought that prize money for
women should be the same amount as the prize money for men.

Billie Jean King created the first successful women's professional tennis
tour (Women's Tennis Association). She founded tennis clinics for poor children.
She also helped establish the Women's Sports Foundation. The foundation helped
improve sports for women. When she retired she worked as a coach and as a TV
commentator.